Electric plug



Oct. 25, 1932 MULDOQN 1,884,121

ELECTRIC PLUG Filed March 16. 1927 MM gwwemtoz Patented Oct. 25, 1932UNITED, STATES PATENT-OFFICE BERNARD r. MULDOON, or MOUNTAIN. VIEW, NEWJERSEY, AssIe oE TO HENRY I-IYMAN, or BROOKLYN, W ORK ELECTRIC PLUGApplication filed March 16, 1927. Serial No. 175,648.

This invention relates to a plug that is to be attached to the end of anelectric light cord and inserted into a socket. The invention isespecially useful in connection with electric irons, although it is notrestricted to this particular use. I

Heretofore electric plugs of this character have been made withinsulating members of porcelain or the like which often became broken byfalling or by the same being accidentally struck. Also such plugs havebeen troublesome to repair due to the fact that it has been necessary tounscrew or remove screws and open up the device, after which it requiredsome care to reassemble.

By the present invention, a plug is made in which the danger of theinsulating material becoming broken or injured is largely or entirelyovercome, and the device can be very much more readily disassembled andreassembled in making repairs to the electric Wires or other portions ofthe device.

The invention will be understood from the description in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan View of the device;Fig. 2 is a section along the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a sectionsimilar to Fig. 2, partly broken away, showing a modification.

In the drawing reference characters 5 and 6 indicate two matinginsulating members of the well-known sort that are provided with groovesalong their contacting surfaces for the installation of electric wiresand terminals that may fit over pin contacts in a socket. The insulatingmembers 5 and 6 are provided near the ends thereof with holes throughwhich a threaded screw 7 can be passed and a nut- 8 screwed onto thethreaded part to clamp the two insulating members. The sides of theinsulating members 5 and 6 are provided with counter-sunk portions toaccommodate the head of the screw 7 and the nut 8 so that they will notproject beyond the outer surfaces of the insulating members.

The insulating member 5 is provided along the outside surface thereofwith a longitudinal groove or recess 9 that extends from the hole forthe screw 7 a considerable distance toward the other end of the member.

spring detent l is. mounted in the groove 9 with a hole near one end ofthe detent through which the screw 7 passes and retains the springdetent in place. The detent '10 is provided with a struck out lip orprojection 11 near the free end thereof. The free end of the springdetent 1O terminates in a flat rounded portion 12, that may serve as athumb piece by which the end of the spring can be pressed inwardly.

An armor 15 preferably of metal in the shape of a. band or sleeve fitsover the ends of the insulating members and 6 and covers the spring withthe exception of a small portion of the projecting end 12 thereof. Thearmor 15 is provided with an opening 16 into which the lip or lug 11 ofthe spring 10 can snap to hold the armor in place. Shoulders 17 may beprovided on the members 5 and 6 to limitthe extent to which the armorcan be moved on the members. The outer end of the armor may be closed,as shown at 15, holes being left, of course, through this end for thepin contacts to be inserted to make contact. I In the modification shownin Fig. 3, the pin 18v is provided with an enlargement 19 that isadapted to be seated in a corresponding recess or seat20 in the member5. The end of the member 18is upset or riveted, as shown at 21, to keepthe spring 10 in place, and. the other end of the pin extends into ahole 22 in the member 6. I

t will be noticed that the screw 7 or the pin 18 will prevent themembers 5 and 6 from moving longitudinally with respect to. each otherand that the armor 15 when in I place will prevent the same from slidinghoripassed through the holes and the nut 8 is tightened with the end ofthe spring 10 held under the head of the screw 7. The armor 15 is thenslipped over the members 5 and 6 until the tongue 11 snaps into theopening 16, thereby retaining the armor in place. When it is necessaryto open the device, pressure is applied to the thumb piece 12, thuswithdrawing the tongue 11 from the opening 16, whereupon the armor 15can be easily withdrawn. The nut 8 is then loosened and the members 5and 6 can be easily taken apart.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, it is only necessary to remove thearmor as the pin 18 can be withdrawn from the hole 22 without thenecessity of loosening the screw or nut.

I claim:

1. An electric plug comprising a plurality of insulating members, a pinextending from one of said members into the other, a band extendingaround said members, and a spring detent attached to said pin to keepsaid band in place, a portion of said spring detent extending beyond theedge of said band.

2. An electric plug comprising a plurality of insulating members, a pinextending from one of said members into the other, a band extendingaround said members, and a spring detent attached to said pin to keepsaid band in place, said detent having a projection extending into anopening in said band.

3. An electric plug comprising an insulating member, a band extendingaround said member and having an opening through the side thereof, and aspring retaining means attached to said insulating member having atongue projecting into said opening.

4. An electric plug comprisinga plurality of insulating members, ametallic band extending around said members, and spring means attachedto said members for retaining said band in place, said spring meansbeing substantially entirely inside of said band.

5. An electric plug comprising a plurality of insulating members, a pinextending from one of said members into the other, a band extendingaround said members and enclosing said pin, and a detent for retainingsaid band in place.

BERNARD F. MULDOON.

